Ashlyn Ketchum:Makings of a Legend
by Darkfyre12
Summary: AU:Ashlyn's father never told her how to live her life: he lived, and let her watch him do it. Giving her the best kind of gift, the belief she could surpass him.Fem!Ash. Smarter!Ash. Eventual Aura!Ash.
1. I

_Disclaimer: Sadly I do not own pokemon,or anything really associated with it._

 ** _A/N:_** _First every story! I don't know yet if I'll include romance for this or not, i'll probably put up some kind of poll.  
_

 _ **Warning(s):** Genderbent Ash. Some AU elements.(I'll be incorporating things from both anime and games,possibly more so the games, and manga. More so the games I think than anything though.) Smarter!Ash. Possible Eventual Aura! OOCness.  
_

* * *

 ** _I._**

Ashlyn Ketchum was six when she saw her father, though not in person.

She was shorter than most girls her age and tended to stand out because of her raven-black hair and chocolate brown-eyes combo, but that was okay because her eyes were the same as her mother's. They weren't weird, they were pretty.

Sitting beside her on the couch was Delia Ketchum, casting a loving look down on her daughter, who was still clutching her favorite little Umbreon plushie doll; a gift sent from her father.

" _The challenger has already bested three of the four Unova Elite Four members_ , _folks_. _Will they be able to trump the fourth and final one_ _and make it all the way to the champ_? _Or will their trailblazing end here_?" The announcer said, adrenaline pumping with every word. " _And now, Ladies and Gentlemen, here he is. The Dark Gentleman himself, the one and only-"_

Ashlyn let out a small squeal of excitement, gaze glued to the screen.

" _Grimsley!"_

"Daddy!"

Delia let out a gentle laugh at her daughter's elated yell. She waited patiently until the little girl settled back down before turning her own eyes back towards the TV, where the dark-haired male had just stepped onto the field, his overall ensemble still reminiscent of when they first met those several years back. A fond smile flitted across Delia's face, falling back into her memories once more, as she often did at times like these.

: ** _Flashback_** :

 _"_ _Seven. Seven. Seven,_ " _Delia chanted, out loud and in her head_. _She might've been no psychic, but that didn't stop her form somehow trying to will the little silver ball to fall into the black seven's slot on the wheel. She was on a roll, and the young woman hoped beyond hope that her luck would hold out once more._

 _"Seven! Seven!" She hadn't even noticed when everyone else at the table started chanting. The buzz was just too strong._

 _What started out as a retreat with her close girlfriends was quickly turning into just the break she needed from all her intense cramming. Studying to become a pokemon aide was a hard enough profession already, but with a professor like the renowned Samuel Oak, well, even Delia felt he could be a real slave-driver at times. Not that she didn't like_ _the guy, both as a mentor and a friend, though his jokes were more often than not a little cheesy, to say the least._

 _"Aaand it's a seven!" The dealer yelled out. Delia and the other occupants erupted into cheers._

 _She couldn't stop smiling, squealing in excitement when the number of chips she held got even higher. Her heart was ticking two hundred beats a minute, spurring her to go again, to try and make the pile grow some more. The more rational side of her, however, finally decided to put its foot down, telling her it was better to be safe than sorry._

 _"Come on, D! Just one more!" One of her friends, Jocelyn, insisted._

 _"No, no, no," Delia declined, shaking her head a bit. "I think it's best I bow out gracefully right about now, thank you very much." She smiled sheepishly when the dealer appeared to let out a sigh of relief._

 _Besides, she'd been meaning to check out the hot springs in these parts for a while now._

 _It was on the way back to her hotel room when a voice distracted her_ _._

 _"To what do I owe this pleasure?"_

 _Now, Delia was a far cry from any kind of psychology expert or interpreter of voices, but there was just a certain_ ** _tone_** _this person_ _–_ _definitely male_ _– just used that piqued her interest in a way that she wasn't quite able to put in words._

 _And, boy, did she know a lot of those._

 _"We've been here for hours, five if you want to be exact. Do you suppose that lead Alder mentioned was a ruse?"_

 _The second voice sounded a trifle more exasperated than the first, if not a little frazzled, making Delia wonder if they were just reeling from a loss at one of the tables. Then again, depending on the sum of money lost, she could feel an ounce of sympathy._

 _"Yes, it is plausible," the first voice soothed, and though she couldn't see them, Delia could most certainly imagine the wry smile on the man's face. "Seems they are growing more active just as Alder feared. Judging by the previous locations they were spotted in, however, money seems to be their objective."_

 _"Why do you suppose that would be the case?" The second voice asked, now identified as female, sounding genuinely curious._

 _"Who knows? Perhaps they're avid shoppers," the male commented, eliciting a soft laugh from the other._

 _Delia mentally chided herself when a laugh, barely even audible, escaped her lips._

 _"Huh? Hey, who's there?" The more feminine voice inquired. Delia heard footsteps, barely giving her enough time to blink before a flash of purple invaded her sight. A pair of gloved hands grabbed her and pulled the brunette out into the open. She let out a faint yelp that went unheard, stumbling over her feet and causing her to topple into the other girl, sending them both to the ground._

 _Wordlessly, Delia took a few moments to gather herself, her face a vivid red looking down and seeing just_ ** _who_** _she toppled onto._ _Darker brown eyes met her own lighter ones, blinking in confusion for a moment. Short purple hair surrounded the face, and round glasses framed her eyes._

 _"You're-…?" They started to speak, cut off when the two girls noticed a hand extended out in front of them. Delia followed it, her face turning as bright as a tomato when she saw piercing, blue eyes – sharp, inquisitive and calm – looking down at her._

 _"I-I'm...Delia Ketchum," she introduced herself shakily. Hesitantly, she took the offered hand, with the purple-haired girl taking the other._

 _"_ _A_ _lovely name for such a lovely face." The man flashed her a supermodel smile, and Delia felt her throat close on her due to a sudden onslaught of hormone-induced emotions, trying to calm the erratic beating of her own heart in her chest. It eased a bit when his alluring gaze turned to the other young woman, still smiling, "Are you alright, Shauntal?"_

 _The girl, now properly identified as Shauntal, responded with a sheepish grin of her own, "Yeah, uh, sorry about that, Miss Delia. Thought you were somebody else."_

 _Delia risked another glance upwards, immediately letting her eyes drop back down after meeting the male's own sharp, blue ones again – they were oddly reminiscent of a Bisharp's blades – making her fidget for a moment. "I-I'm terribly sorry for intruding, I was just...on my way to my room. Ah..." When no immediate response was given, the young brunette thought perhaps she was in the clear._

 _Or rather, she would have been... if it weren't for the familiar arm that swung around her shoulders, followed by the slurring of her name._

 _"Delia, there you are!" Jocelyn was yelling right in her ear, causing her to wince some. "We were looking for you. Hey, so get this. Alice said-oh." A sinking feeling began to grow in her gut, hearing the sudden shift in her friend's tone. She nervously looked at Jocelyn and inwardly groaned when at seeing the way she was looking at the dark-haired stranger._

 _Poor guy better start running._

 _"And just who are_ ** _you_** _?" Jocelyn inquired, inching closer and looking like a lovesick puppy._

 _He graced her friend with a light smile. A pang of envy shot through Delia's chest at the thought of him being interested in her._

 _"A friend," he said simply as he gestured towards the brunette, a glimmer of mirth in his eyes. "Of Delia's, that is." Said woman barely resisted the urge to gasp when Jocelyn's eyes swerved to her, a tad accusing, but mostly intrigued. Oh, dear God, no._

 _"Really now?" Jocelyn asked, a coy smile slipping across her face. "Interesting. She never mentioned someone like you before, Mr…?" She trailed off, turning back towards the pair. By now, the girl of the duo had sauntered off somewhere, seeming content to let things play out however they may. Still, Delia swore she saw her scribbling down what she was fairly certain were notes on the encounter._

 _Maybe she was an author. Her sense of subtlety left something to be desired though, Delia thought._

 _"Grimsley." The smooth, velvet-like voice pulled her back into reality, just in time to witness the blue-eyed male take Jocelyn's hand into his own and plant a soft kiss on it, similar to how she imagined_ _a prince would in those fairy-tales she had grown up loving. "A pleasure to make your acquaintance." A natural charmer, this one was, especially if the squeal of delight Jocelyn let out was any kind of indication._

 **: _Flashback End_ :**

"Look, mommy! Daddy did it; he won!" Ashlyn cried out, jumping for joy while confetti rained down over the triumphant Grimsley.

 _"If somebody wins a battle, then, without doubt, someone else has lost the battle. That's the way of battle. A real warrior doesn't dash off in pursuit of the next victory, nor throw a fit when experiencing a loss. A real warrior ponders the next battle."_ Were the words of comfort provided to the hunched-over trainer, mourning their loss. Grimsley's expression cold and sharp, perhaps a tad curious. Leaving the room with a flourish of his yellow scarf.

It was after Delia turned off the TV that little Ashlyn's eyes, so full of innocence and hope, lifted towards her, her small face beaming.

"Will daddy come home now?" she asked. The mother felt the comforting warmth that memories provided leave her in an instant, her own smile dimming some. "Will he?"

Delia continued smiling, for it was all she could do in that moment. That and curse herself as she watched little Ashlyn's hopeful expression slowly disappear.

It was heartbreaking, seeing Ashlyn turn away. Her hold on her Umbreon doll tightened, biting her lip, and Delia just knew the poor thing was trying hard not to cry. "He won't... will he?" Ashlyn asked, sounding heartbroken. "Daddy… daddy still isn't coming home. B-but why?"

However, her daughter was but a child, and try as she might, sobs still made their way out.

"Is * **hic** * h-he mad * **hic** * at us? A-at me?" Delia pulled her daughter into a tight embrace, running soothing fingers through the little girl's hair.

"Oh no, sweetie. Of course, he's not," she soothed, forcing as much sincerity into her words as she could. "He loves us – loves _you_ – more than _anything_."

When she pulled away, tears were no longer falling from little Ashlyn's eyes. She was still sniffling, but she buried the lower half of her face against the back of her Umbreon plushie rather than her mother's sweater. Delia made a mental note to wash the snot out of the doll before sending the little girl off to bed later that night.

~/~

"Mommy?"

Delia paused standing in her daughter's bedroom doorway. Ashlyn's favorite pokeball nightlight was turned on, and she was clinging to a freshly cleaned Umbreon plushie, with her little head poking out from beneath the warm, comfy blanket. Delia smiled at the sight.

"Yes, sweetie?"

"When I become a pokemon trainer, will daddy be able to come home and visit us more then?" she asked innocently.

The mother chose her words very carefully, despite her daughter being so young.

"Ashlyn, your father is very busy, what with work and... making sure the two of us are safe and happy." Delia's smile became a bit more strained at this point, looking a tiny bit crestfallen. "Daddy's trying very hard in order to make sure... to make sure..." She let the words roll off her tongue, unsure of how to finish what she started saying.

Thankfully, she realized she didn't have to, hearing Ashlyn's soft snores from under the covers.

"Goodnight, my sweet, little baby girl," Delia whispered, closing the door behind her as she left.

~/~

Ashlyn was going on eight when she heard from her father again, in the form of yet another gift sent through the mail. But she wasn't quite as naive, and she had stopped carrying around her dolls for quite a while already.

"Thank you very much," Delia said with a courteous nod to the mailman.

Ashlyn watched the small exchange, eyeing the package being held in her mother's arm with just the smallest fraction of contempt. Okay, maybe more than just a little. "Is that... from dad?" she inquired, mostly due to the fact that her birthday was _yesterday_ , and no offense to her mother, but what else would he be sending something for?

"Yes," Delia said, offering a tight-lipped smile, noting the lack of usual excitement in her daughter's eyes – cold like her father's – wondering where that bright, happy child had gone to. Still, she pushed it aside, holding out the box with tender hands.

' _He didn't wrap it this year_.' Was Ashlyn's only thought, taking it carefully and giving it the slightest of shakes. She heard nothing. She didn't already break whatever was inside, did she? Frowning, the eight-year-old started tearing open the plain brown packaging, blinking in surprise when she pulled back the lid.

"It's an... egg."

Ashlyn reached down and lifted the strangely marked oval-shaped object, staring at the odd markings going around the sides. She glanced down seeing a plain white envelope in the box as well, plucking it off from where it had been stuffed underneath the egg. It was addressed to her and had a capital 'G' written in elegant script on the back. Ripping it open, her eyes quickly scanned over the words written inside.

 _To my dear little girl,_

 _I'm sorry that I couldn't be there to wish you the best in person._

 _Your mother told me how you want to be a pokemon master when you grow up._

It was true, she decided back when she was six a few days prior to watching her dad in one of his own battles. At the time, some of the pokemon looked a bit more on the scarier side, she told her mom, like her dad's Bisharp, or one of the challenging trainer's Haunter. Still, it looked like so much fun! Plus, there were some pokemon she thought were pretty cute and strong looking, like Marshal's Makuhita.

 _Here's proof I believe in you._

 _I love you, always have and always will._

Her eyes started to sting a little at the last sentence, a small flicker of doubt still present, but glad he at least tried to let her know somehow. She took the egg, barely managing to wrap her little arms around it, and carried it with her into the kitchen where her mother had disappeared to in order to start on dinner. In one hand she still held the open envelope, failing to notice when something came slipping out.

"Ashlyn, honey, what have you got there?" Delia asked, putting her hands on her knees and kneeling down in front of her child.

"Dad sent it to me. It's an egg," she proclaimed, puffing out her chest a bit in a show of pride. "Dad wants me to take care of it."

Delia gave a nervous laugh, her eyes showing a small hint of worry in them. "Sweetie, um, do you… know what kind of egg that is?" Not that she needed to ask; she already knew the answer.

"No."

The older brunette heaved a sigh. Her eyes fell down, lightly pressing a hand to her head in a very subtle facepalm, which was when she saw something sparkling on the kitchen floor. She picked it up carefully, seeing what felt like some kind of hard mineral stone on the end of a silver chain.

"Oh what a pretty stone," she said – about to inquire as to whether it was little Ashlyn's gift as well – looking up to see her daughter had started walking again. "Ashlyn, where did you-"

"My egg needs to be washed," Ashlyn piped up, hopping onto a nearby miniature set of stairs she often used in the kitchen when reaching for things high up. She positioned the egg directly underneath the kitchen faucet, already reaching for the handle.

"Ashlyn, wait! Don't–"

~/~

"I just don't know if sending a pokemon egg of all things is such a good idea. She's only _eight_ ," Delia huffed pointedly, looking towards the screen of her call. Her hair was dripping wet, and she seemed to be sporting a rather impressive frown while seated in the office of her former's professor's house. Forced to stay a night or two when the broken faucet popped off, and water was sent gushing out, flooding the house.

"Hm, perhaps you have a point. Did she not like it?" The person on the other end inquired curiously, trying to lighten the mood.

"I don't think she fully understands what it is. She hasn't gotten that far in her lessons after all," Delia stated, looking more stressed out than usual. "Look, I'm glad that you're still trying to stay in touch with us, but I… I just don't think this is working out."

There was silence on the other end.

"It's not just what happened today – I already told you I needed to have that faucet fixed! - or even the distance," Delia said, and there was a subtle crack in her voice. Her eyes were starting to burn, and she felt the tears come out into the open now. "You _keep_ saying that though!" she said, perhaps a little too loudly, as some of the pokemon in their pens were starting to stare, along with little Ashlyn who was peeking out from the stairs, wearing the necklace she got and holding her egg tightly.

"…I miss you." Her mother confessed, so quietly Ashlyn almost didn't hear it. "A-and I'm worried that-but-!"

Ashlyn decided she didn't want to hear her mother's heartbroken voice anymore, turning around and racing down the stairs before the call ended.

She felt angry at her father, not understanding why he was making her mother so sad all the time in recent years. She also didn't understand why there was such a lack of his presence in her life. She didn't understand a single thing about him!

More than anything, she just didn't understand why he couldn't come home and _be with them_.

Mom kept saying he cared for them. That he would come and be with them if he could.

Always _if_ he could, but never **why** he couldn't.

"Daddy… why won't you come home?" she asked, knowing she wasn't going to get an answer. It didn't lessen the pain that was swelling in her heart, however. In fact, it only made her feel worse. She looked at the egg she'd been clutching protectively, and the stone her father had sent, recalling reading a certain part of the letter that mentioned an old friend gave it to him, something about her being a museum curator or such.

It didn't seem all _that_ special like her mom made it sound, it was round with a simple design. She didn't really understand any of it; only that instead of winding up in a museum, the stone was now hers.

Much like the egg she held onto; proof her father cared. Or so a part of her liked to believe.

"My Ashlyn, what have you got there?"

Little Ashlyn lifted her eyes up from the object, blinking at the beaming face of none other than Professor Samuel Oak. He had a weathered face, but kind eyes. He was regarding her egg with a strangely fascinated gleam in his old eyes.

"Why, it's a pokemon egg. Well, I'll be! And a rare one from the looks of the design," he stated, matter–of–fact, earning a confused stare from the little girl.

"A... pokemon egg?" Ashlyn repeated, brow creasing. "So this egg is... a pokemon?"

"Well, yes and no." Oak laughed a little, walking a short distance to where he kept a bookshelf chocked full of thick looking books. He reached for one, carefully sliding it off the shelf and flipping through the pages while walking back over. He crouched down to eye level with her. Showing her a simple, small diagram. "You see, Ashlyn, a pokemon is growing inside that egg, and when it gets to a certain point then the egg will hatch and you'll have yourself a real, breathing, fully active pokemon!"

Ashlyn looked at it with slowly widening eyes, "So then, daddy sent me a-a pokemon!?" She couldn't believe it. "B-but, why? I thought you needed to be a pokemon trainer to…?"

"Well, not necessarily. People do keep some as pets, after all. Friends for when they are lonely," Oak said, smiling gently.

"A...friend?"

"Yes. Perhaps your father felt you needed a friend to keep you and your mother company," the old man suggested, having overheard the child's dilemma and wanting to offer some comforting words to her. Both she and her mother were such kind people, who only wanted their little family to be whole again.

Ashlyn studied the egg a little more closely, as if trying to see inside to what kind of pokemon it would end up being.

"Do you know what kind of pokemon it is then?" Ashlyn asked.

"Usually the pattern signifies the kind of pokemon that will hatch, but I've never quite seen a pattern like this one before, so I'm afraid I couldn't say for sure," Oak responded evenly. "Though I can give you an idea as to what kinds of pokemon are more prone to hatching from eggs." He stood as her eyes lit up.

Putting the first book back, he then pulled out another with more pictures and flipped it open. "Let's see now... ah, here's one!" he exclaimed, stopping on a picture of a round little pink creature with brown triangular ears. "This is what's known as a Cleffa." Ashlyn wasn't too thrilled with the color scheme of the pokemon. Still, she tried her best to stay focused and listen to the wise old professor's words while he turned the page to the next one.

"And this is called Elekid." He pointed to a small little yellow and black pokemon with long rectangular – were those supposed to be ears? Ashlyn thought unsure. It also had knobby little feet that were just as round looking as its body. Ashlyn turned the next page herself.

While doing so her eyes flitted down, taking a quick glance to make sure her egg was okay.

It was then when she saw _it_.

She let out a yelp, backpedaling up the stairs so fast she very nearly dropped her precious cargo. Professor Oak was staring at her, absolutely flabbergasted, the elder man looking up when Ashlyn numbly registered the rushing of feet from behind her – her mom – and familiar arms wrapping around her form in a comforting embrace, asking if everything was okay. Ashlyn didn't answer, but professor Oak did.

No one else seemed to see it. No one else saw what she _swore_ to Arceus she saw; her shadow _moved_.

Where there should've been nothing but her dark silhouette, there had been _eyes_ ; a pair of orange eyes with yellow pupils.

Ashlyn thought it must have been a pokemon of some kind, but... later that night when she asked the professor, he said no such pokemon existed to his knowledge. A part of her thought perhaps she was just imagining it if someone as smart as professor Oak didn't even know.

~/~

Only, he _did_ know something.

"Professor, what are you doing up at this hour?" Delia Ketchum had asked, seeing the lights on in the professor's lab upstairs. It was going on 3 a.m. when she came up, her eyes catching sight of his computer screen. "Huh? Ma-rsh-a-d-ow? Professor, what are you looking at?" She asked, not seeing pictures so much as large chunks of text. The few pictures of the article were small and barely viewable.

"Oh, did I wake you? I'm sorry. Ah yes, a friend asked me to look into this for them," Professor Oak supplied, following her line of sight. "Apparently, it's a name given to a pokemon that's rarely ever been seen by humans. It's called something along the lines of the 'Gloomdweller'," He finished with a lighthearted laugh.

"My, it looks so... odd," Delia said, tilting her head a bit, trying to get a better look at the pictures.

"Yes, well, believe it or not, _these_ pictures are some of the better ones given," Oak stated, clicking away a bit more, causing several other tabs to pop up. "You can't draw an image from something you haven't yet seen with your own eyes and expect it to come out the perfect piece of artwork."

Delia conceded to that.

"On a more interesting note, I'm curious to know just _where_ Grimsley got such an unusual egg," the professor said, spinning around in his chair to look Delia in the eye.

"He said it was a gift. He said some boy gave it to him during his time in Castelia City."

The two adults shared an uneasy glance after that, the old professor not wanting to trouble his former student too much by drudging up anything pertaining too much to Grimsley right now. He knew the other man's heart was in the right place, and that given the rather strenuous circumstances, was trying his best to ensure Delia and Ashlyn remained happy.

Still, he was only human himself, and, as the saying went, no man was an island.

"He said he misses us, but I-" Delia cut herself off, shaking her head with a hand covering her mouth. "I'm worried, professor; he's keeping something from me. I just know it," Tears shone in her eyes. "Oh, if anything were to happen to him-!"

"Delia, please, stop worrying yourself. Grimsley is a grown man and a highly capable trainer; he can take care of himself."

Nodding, the brunette regained a bit of her composure, knowing she needed to be strong for her daughter if nothing else.

Neither felt the shifting of shadow down below, in the room where Ashlyn was now fast asleep. A pair of orange eyes with yellow slits were watching her, looking from her to the egg, then back at the girl before disappearing again.

Melting back into the girl's shadow without making a sound.

* * *

 **Review please. Share your thoughts.  
**

 **Question:** What pokemon do you think Ashlyn's egg is?


	2. II

**Disclaimer: I don't own pokemon or anything of familiarity.**

 _A/N: Just wanted to say thanks for all of the support thus far.I really appreciate it! Special thanks to everyone who reviewed, favorited or followed!( was going to respond to each individual,but didn't want to stretch this too long.) I do have a poll up,mainly for curiosity, if I do include romance who do you want it to be?  
_

 _Enough babbling, enjoy!_

* * *

 **II.**

* * *

Ashlyn sat stewing in quiet contemplation over the possibilities of who her new friend was going to be, watching the motionless egg with burning eyes. Delia thought it was just adorable, the look of intense focus oddly similar to her fathers when he was in the midst of a difficult battle or trying to win back his earnings in a heated game of poker;a habit he swears he's dropped for the most part since having a child. Delia having decided to take his word for it after the time Ashlyn ended up sneaking out after him, curious and woefully ignorant of what the adults do in their free time.

Delia could still recall when she first mentioned to Grimsley about Ashlyn wanting to become a pokemon trainer – _master_ , as Ashlyn kept insisting. Her husband regarding her with a certain look, not angry or sorrowful, but more...curious than anything else.

" _Did she happen to say why_?"

" _Well_ , _yes and no_ , _she says she wants to be the greatest Pokemon Master_. _I think she wants to be more like you_ , _she watches you whenever you're on the TV after all_. "

Grimsley just gave her a small look of astonishment at that before being interrupted when a challenger came by. He cut the call after wishing her and Ashlyn the best and sending his love as always, and of course promising to stop by as soon as possible.

Just as she was debating trying to get ahold of him again, to make sure things were going smoothly and that he was at least still flying in for Ashlyn's birthday next week, she heard the phone ring. She immediately got up from the couch to go and answer it, hitting the audio-only button at first. "Hello, Ketchum residence. This is Delia Ketchum speaking…."

"Delia, how are you?" A smile broke out across her face, hitting the button to change it to an audio-visual call.

"Riley!" Delia exclaimed, instantly beaming. The face on the screen smiled back, his serene cobalt eyes shining with fondness watching her pull up a chair to sit on while she talked. "How's Sinnoh? Is Byron still badgering you to become a gym leader?" She asked with a laugh, recalling how insistent the Bastiodon-enthusiast was over her cousin's skill.

Riley gave a sheepish laugh and she flashed him a sympathetic smile. "Sinnoh's been good, thank you. Byron is, um...'adamant' still, yes, but he did agree to give the position to his son when I suggested it. Hopefully it'll get him off my back for awhile." he removed his hat, seeming to sag in his seat. "Honestly things have gotten a bit more hectic than I reckoned out here..."

"Oh, why's that? Has something happened?" Delia inquired.

Before he could begin to answer, two new faces invaded the screen; each sporting the same large, oval red eyes and black-mask faces with blue around them. Small little pointed ears on either side of their heads, one far shorter than the other.

" _Lu_! _Lucario_!"

" _Rio_?"

"Oh Lucario, so nice to see you again. And you've picked up another Riolu as well? How nice." Delia remarked, smiling at the two pokemon in greeting. She gave a little wave that both pokemon were glad to return.

"Aren't you two supposed to be helping the newcomers?" Riley chided lightly. A mirthful stare fixed on the two pokemon when they stiffened, sparring each other a quick glance before racing off to do as they were told. "...that's what I thought." Riley added once they were gone, turning back to see Delia's confused stare.

"Newcomers….?" She repeated, curious.

"Yes. Iron Island has become more of a habitat for pokemon than the last time you visited. Recently there has been an influx of pokemon that may have been the victims of abuse at their former trainer's hands." He commented solemnly, resting his chin on folded hands. Delia let out a gasp. "It's difficult to say for sure, but I can see it in their auras – the fluctuations of despair, abandonment and even hostility – especially when approached by people. On more than one occasion, I've had to have Lucario be the one to try and keep them civil to one another."

"Those poor dears. Oh I hope they'll be okay." Delia said softly, a pang of guilt going through her for the actions of another human being.

Riley nodded along with her statement, feeling the same remorse for the aforementioned pokemon. "Yes, though I'd like to think there are indeed far more who actually _care_ for pokemon. There are still a great deal who do not, suffice to say it is a hurdle they themselves must work to overcome." His brow furrowed for a moment, as though recalling something of significance.

"Delia, I was wondering if I might ask a...curiosity question, if you will allow it?"

"Sure. What is it?"

"Have you kept in touch with your contacts over in Johto?" Riley questioned, leaning back and folding his arms. His gaze was one of deep thought.

"You mean Pryce?" She responded. A bit surprised by the sudden curiosity brewing in his eyes, seeing her cousin nod. She had gone to Johto a long time ago in order to study pokemon at the infamous Lake of Rage that was situated near Mahogany town, and the Gym leader, Pryce, had been kind enough to ensure no harm befell her during her stay. During her time they would talk over various things, getting to know one another, and eventually established a friendship of sorts resulting in the exchange of numbers.

"Yes, he and I still keep in touch. I actually invited him to come out for Ashlyn's birthday next week." Delia commented with a tender smile. "She loves playing with his Piloswine after all, despite her strange tendency of sticking things up its nose..." Delia added as an afterthought.

"Hard to believe she's already turning nine." Riley said. "Seems only yesterday you called saying you had gotten pregnant. Then of course was the time you and Grimsley thought his Pawniard had accidentally chopped off one of her fingers." He laughed at the recollection, Delia's face burning brighter with each recount of events. "Or the time she stowed away so she could watch Grimsley battle for the first time, and got scared when she saw Bisharp."

"Yes, I remember," Delia said with a warm smile on her face "it was also when she met the rest of his associates for the first time. They heard the crying and had to stop the match so Grimsley could comfort her, poor Bisharp tried to help too, but Ashlyn would only end up crying harder whenever he came too close." She would never forget the look of contentment on her daughter's face when she was finally able to come and pick her up, seeing her snuggled up in her father's arms the way she had been.

"That girl really does love her father." Riley stated, a soft-spoken smile on his face.

"Yeah, oh! You were saying, um, about Johto?" Delia said trying to get the conversation back on track. Riley blinked, the fondness disappearing in favor of a more thoughtful, almost pensive stare. "Did something...happen there?"

"During my travels I came across a boy." Riley stated, looking her in the eye eyes. "Delia, his aura – it wasn't normal. I think he may have been touched by an especially powerful pokemon at some point of his young life. "

"You mean, like one of the ones spoken of in legends?" Delia muttered, a little shocked at her cousin's words. Being the descendants of Sir Aaron, she had grown up hearing quite a bit about certain pokemon that were viewed by others as the stuff of legends, their appearances rare and few throughout the course of history. Some were never seen at all, or so they say. "But how is that possible?"

"I don't know for absolute certain. I chanced upon him during my trek through what is known as the Ilex Forest. It was such a peculiar sight too, almost like...he could communicate with the pokemon." Riley stated in puzzlement, holding his chin thinking on his own words for a while longer. "There were inhabitants of the forest I'm sure, but they did not appear at all threatened by his presence. What's more they seemed almost...soothed by him, he was whistling some kind of tune or such."

"He was whistling?" Delia pondered this, the fleeting thought that she had heard this tale somewhere before growing in the back of her mind. "And it was soothing the pokemon? That is strange."

"I wonder what it could mean?"

Riley shook his head. "I don't know." He admitted, still appearing a bit bothered by the strange occurrence before choosing to tuck it away to a distant corner of his mind for now. "That aside however, there was another reason for my calling you…."

Meanwhile, back in the living room, Ashlyn was still staring at her egg. Only now she had a book propped up on her lap, aimlessly flipping through it's pages in an attempt not to drive herself mad with boredom. It was an old book of Fairytales her mother had kept with her, saying she got it from her homeland – someplace that started with a C. - Cameron, or whatever.

"Oh youth, guided by the servant of the Original One, quell matter and spirit, and shine hope onto the land once more.

Oh youth, show the one blessed with the blood of old the way to the highest altar… and before you a new path shall open, and a heavenly melody you shall hear."

Ashlyn looked at the picture below the solid gold text scrawled on top of the pages. She didn't really understand what it was supposed to be referencing, this specific fairy tale being one of the few her mother hadn't read to her. Her brows pinching together in a show of confusion, "is that a Mareep?" She said aloud, just as her mother came back into the room.

Shrugging she flipped the page onto the next story, already pushing the previous one form her mind. "Oh, here's a fun one!" She put the book down, looking at the colorful artistry on the pages with childish wonder. "Mom says it's about a pokemon called Zekrom."

She turned the book, propping herself up on her elbows leaning closer to the egg.

"Dad read it to me once…" She commented softly, recalling the time she had snuck with him into the Elite Four building. At first she was disappointed in herself, crying at the first sign of a pokemon battle, but a small part of her deemed it a worthwhile experience in the end when her father was spending time with her.

He told her tales of Unova's legends, mentioning myths surrounding what some called the 'Tao Trio' consisting of three dragons, two of which were once the same dragon; Zekrom and Reshiram. He said there was a third, but that a large majority had forgotten about it, so it went into hiding rarely being seen or heard from again.

The picture of Zekrom was one of him showing off his raw power amidst an endless torrent of rain and lightning, in contrast to the more elegant looking white dragon Reshiram who appeared to be dancing within the flames swirling around its white body. The beautiful imagery catching everything from the creatures powerful, piercing gaze to the contrast of the sparks of electricity going along its body. The top of the page read 'Truth & Ideals Clash'.

"Zekrom looks so cool." Ashlyn muttered in awe.

"Ashlyn, sweetie, what are you doing?" Delia asked.

"Reading to my egg." She answered back, matter – of – factly, turning the page. "Figured if bedtime stories make people go to sleep faster, then when told in reverse should wake them up. Pretty smart, huh?"

Delia gave her daughter a slightly befuddled look, smiling all the same. "Sweetie, I don't think that's how it works..."

"Really? Dang it." Ashlyn muttered, heaving a sigh of her own while she placed the book on the table. Her posture deflating a little.

"Maybe Professor Oak will have something to help?" Ashlyn said aloud, hopping off her seat and bringing her egg along with her as she headed for the door. "Mom, can I go and ask him?"

"Hold on Ashlyn, I'll go with you. It's dangerous to go wandering alone." Delia called.

"Hey mom?" Ashlyn said, tilting her head once they were both standing by the door. A curious gleam in her eyes as they stepped outside, walking at a leisurely pace. Ashlyn's mind drifting back to the book of stories and myths she was reading through.

"What is it honey?"

"Do you think I'll be able to see any legendary pokemon when I go on my journey?"

Delia smiled down at her daughter, a small flicker of worry swelling up at the thought. The more vicious looking ones coming to the forefront of Delia's mind as she walked, ones known for having a more vicious temperament when it came humans or even just a more intimidating presence - ones like Zekrom, Raikou, or even Moltres. - each powerful in their own right. And each rarely seen.

"You just might." Delia said, hiding her worry. She didn't like her daughter seeking out possible danger, but at the same time she trusted her daughter to come back should things go awry. "Though keep in mind, they might not be too keen on visitors." She chided lightly.

"I wanna meet that red one!" Ashly proclaimed excitedly. Stars in her eyes.

"Oh, you mean Moltres?" Delia commented with a tilt of her head.

"No, the other one."

Delia blinked, confused. "Ho-oh?"

Ashlyn shook her head.

"Which one are you talking about honey?"

"I couldn't pronounce the name. I think the story said it was from that Kalos place or whatever - it started with a Y." Delia's smile faltered a bit, knowing exactly which pokemon her daughter was referring to; Yveltal, the destruction pokemon.

"It looked so cool, like this big giant, dark bird-like thing!" Ashlyn rattled on, eyes growing wider with excitement remembering the huge expanse of its wings and the mystic blue glow of its eyes on the page. "It was like a dragon, no wait- it was cooler than that, hmmm."

"Hey mom, how come you look so pale?"

~/~

"Well, this is a surprise."

Azure eyes flicked upwards, welcoming the person with an inquiring gaze. The book in his hand folding shut before he placed it on the black leather couch beside him, a devilish grin lighting his face in the warm afterglow of the chandelier hanging overhead.

"Shauntal, to what do I owe the pleasure?" He said, ever polite. Noticing her signature pink pen and notebook in hand. "If it's inspiration you are seeking, might I suggest another stroll around Undella Town?"

"Tempting, but no." Shauntal responded rather quickly, her lips quirking some while regarding Grimsley with a rather dark foreboding glint in her eye that usually spelled trouble for whomever was in the bookworms sights. "Word on the grapevine's you're heading to Kanto for a mini vacation."

Grimsley would have scoffed, years of perfecting his mask stopping him from doing so. Instead his smile widened, becoming a tad more bewitching in Shauntal's opinion; the perfect combination to go with his sharp azure eyes which turned half-lidded to convey his boredom with the topic at hand. Shauntal felt, at times, like a schoolgirl in his presence – too often had she used her notebook to mask the rosy hue of her cheeks from him – even though she knew nothing would ever happen between them.

' _He would never stoop so low_. _Besides_ , _he's head over heels for Delia_.' Shauntal thought, recalling the way a part of her ached when she had first heard the news of Grimsley's proposal. She knew right away the ring wasn't meant for her, having been asked to go with along with Caitlyn to pick it out.

"I would have thought gossiping to be beneath you Shauntal, especially after what happened last time." Shauntals entire face turned a bright tomato red at the reminder. "Ah no need to fret however, as I was merely joking. If you truly must know," he said in a voice like silk. "It's little Ashlyn's birthday, and well stopping by for only a day or so hardly seems the right course of action. So I've requested a bit longer than normal."

"Oh yeah, how did she like her last birthday present?" Shauntal inquired, her eyes focused down onto her lap where she was scribbling away into her notebook feeling a sudden burst of inspiration hit her. "Uh, what did you say you got her?"

"I sent her that egg, remember?"

Shauntal blinked. Her hand pausing in its various scribbles and elegant scrawl, looking back up in astonishment. "Egg? What, the one that dancer lady gave you?"

Grimsley arched a brow at his associate. "She was a Kimono girl, Shauntal. I believe they have some in the Johto region, in the town of Ecruteak." He added.

"Yeah, I know _that_." She insisted, her eyes lighting up with wonder. "That place is like, totally amazing! The old timely feel of the architecture, the atmosphere, the history, it's like a well of inspiration!" Grimsley stared at her in bemusement from the corner of his eye, watching her fantasize over everything; from the architecture to the old remains of the Burnt Tower they kept around, where she claimed to have once caught a Gastly.

"Why not stop by there for a visit then?" Grimsley questioned, curious.

"Hey now, don't change the subject!" Shauntal said, snapping out of her reverie with a huff. Grimsley gave a small lazy shrug of the shoulders, still smiling some. A bubble of laughter spilling out from slightly parted lips.

"Anyway, as I was originally saying," Shauntal began with a more pointed look on her face "it's a surprise seeing you lounging about _here_ when you have better things to do such as buying a plane ticket, or making sure you have the perfect gift ready to give Ashlyn."

"Shauntal, while I appreciate your concern, I already have a gift." Grimsley said in a calm tone, losing his smile for once. "And you know transportation, for me, isn't an issue." He rested his chin on the palm of his hand, drumming his fingers against his thigh in boredom.

Silence settled between them, in which Shauntal shifted a bit in her seat. Grimsley caught the hesitation lingering in those large oval eyes of hers. "Shauntal, why did you come here? I doubt it was just to ask questions which you already knew the answers to."

Shauntals small blush returned, and she reached for something she kept carefully tucked away in her back pocket. "Well, see...the mail came and I, uh-"

Grimsley blinked, confusion etched into his features for a moment, staring at the clear white envelope she held out in front of him. He took it, not understanding what made it so important she thought he'd want it personally delivered to him. He easily split open the seal on the back, removing the folded up parchment paper inside.

Shauntal watched his eyes quickly scan over the contents of the letter, hearing him curse a moment later.

"Shauntal, could you please just...give me a moment?" He said, a breath of frustration spilling out while he held the bridge of his nose. "I need to make a quick call."

"Right." She answered quietly, closing her notebook and making a beeline for the door. "I-If you, you know, need anything...I-I'll just be in my room."

Grimsley watched her leave, the large double doors shutting behind her with a loud _clank_! Leaving him alone to his suddenly jumbled thoughts, moving up and off the couch towards the phone. The feeling of lead in his chest as his fingers dialed the number, listening for the ring.

His eyes fell to the letter he was still holding.

~/~

Ashlyn blinked, swearing she saw her necklace glow for a moment just before hearing the front door of Professor Oak's house swing open. She smiled, at first, opening her mouth to greet the kind Professor-

"Well, well. If it isn't little Ashleen?"

Sparks flew out of her eyes. She could feel her teeth grinding together.

"It's Ash _lyn_ , Gary, and at least _I_ don't smell worse than a Koffing!" She yelled back, being sure to hold her egg at arms length while she and Oak's grandson stood toe to toe, their faces pressed together while they continued exchanging insults to one another. The two adults sharing in a much more civilized conversation.

"Delia, it's good to see you." Oak said, choosing to ignore how his grandson had started pinching the woman's daughter in frustration when she gave him her infamous impression of a Lickitung and spat saliva on his face. "And I see little Ashlyn is still on 'Egg Watch' patrol, hm?" He commented with a warm smile.

"Oh yes, actually that's part of the reason we've come. Ashlyn was wondering if-"

Before she could go further, a loud crack caught both the adults attention, as well as the attention of the two squabbling children.

"Aaah! You broke my egg, you- you stupid head!" Ashlyn yelled.

"N-no I didn't!" Gary insisted vehemently as a bright light enveloped the egg.

When it faded away, a puff of silver fur was left in its place, curled into a ball.

"Oh my, what-…" Delia began to say, her and Oak leaning to get a closer look when a long pointed ear popped up, followed by another. The two blinked, gazing into large, brown round eyes.

" _Eev_? _Eevee_?"

Ashlyn stared, numb with shock when the small little bushy-tailed pokemon unfurled completely in her arms, it's gaze swerving to meet hers. The fur collar going around its neck tinged the slightest shade blue, almost reminiscent of her father's eyes.

"It's my…it's my pokemon." Ashlyn muttered softly.

" _Eevee_!" The small little creature seemed to perk up, leaning forward to sniff at her a bit, deciding it was safe to lick her cheek. " _Eev_ , _eevee_!" It cried happily.

Slowly, a smile spread across Ashlyn's face, starting to dance around joyously. "A pokemon, I got an actual pokemon!"

Professor Oak watched the two kids and pokemon while standing beside Delia, a curious look in his eyes.

While Ashlyn was busy cheering, Gary throwing the occasional snide remark her way to calm her back down."That Eevee appears to have a different pigmentation than most Eevee I've seen." Oak remarked Delia turned to meet his inquiring gaze, seeing him holding his chin in thought. "I know I've asked this, but I am curious….where did Grimsley say he got the egg from?"

Somewhere in the region of a Johto, in the town of Ecruteak, one of five lovely Kimono girls sneezed suddenly; right in the middle of their usual performance.

"Zuki, are you alright?" One of the surrounding girls asked, concerned. "I hope you aren't coming down with a cold."

"Perhaps she is still worn out from her flight in from the Unova region?" Another suggested.

The one called Zuki only smiled, waving off their concern. "I'm fine, truly."

Back in Kanto,Professor Oak and the others were now inside. All gathered around the strange silver-furred Eevee.

"The good news,Ashlyn, is that your newborn Eevee is perfectly healthy. It appears to be a male." Oak finished saying, the little girl peering over the edge of the table at the bushy-tailed pokemon.

"Would you like to give your Eevee a nickname Ashlyn?" The Professor questioned.

"Yes!" Ashlyn said quickly, an almost determined glint entering her eyes. Her brows furrowed together, humming thoughtfully while tugging on her dear mother's sleeve, whispering. "What should I name him?"

Gary and Oak did a small face-fall, with Gary being the first to recover.

"What's wrong with you? You can't have someone else name your pokemon!" He scolded, crossing his arms with a huff of exasperation. His eyes turning half-lidded, smirking a bit. "Unless you're too dumb to come up with a nickname, in which case _I'll_ be more than glad to-"

"No!" Ashlyn cut off, glaring. "I have a nickname!"

With that she turned back towards Eevee, seeing his tail swish back and forth expectantly.

"I….uh….." Ashlyn nervously twisted the hem of her shirt, not expecting to have to make such a big -at least in her mind it was!- decision so soon. Still, she wanted to wipe the stupid smug grin off of Gary's face, so she had to come up with a really cool and unique nickname.

Wracking her brain for anything that might come in handy, a certain memory popped into mind.

"Orion."

Three pairs of eyes blinked simultaneously, only one of which softening with realization.

"Wow...you suck at names…" Gary said in a flat tone.

"Quiet you!" Ashlyn snapped, pressing her face into his with sparks flying out again. "Orion's an awesome name! You're just jealous."

Professor Oak sighed, shaking his head a bit at his grandsons antics turning to speak to Delia. "All in all, I do believe it's just as fine a name as any. Eevee seems to like it well enough." The woman followed his gaze back to the little furry creature perched on the table, nodding its head in a show of approval.

 _"Eev_! _Eevee_!"

"Ha! Hear that Gary, Eevee likes it too!" Ashlyn chirped, masking her relief with a boisterous tone.

"Figures your pokemon would share in your weird taste."

The sound of chomping teeth followed his comment.

"OW! It just bit me…"

"Hmm must not like jerkfaces."

The two started up, exchanging insults again. Eevee hopping back onto the table where it then jumped up into Delia's arms causing Professor Oak to chuckle a moment. "Sassy little thing, isn't it?"

Delia nodded. Eevee letting out a small little yawn of contentment before lulling itself off to sleep.

~/~

" _Once upon a time_ , _in a place called Cameron_ , _a boy was born_.

 _One with a great love for all pokemon_ , _no matter how big or how small_ , _regardless of how weak or how strong_..."

The words were spoken in a gentle whisper over the soft tune of a whistle – a lullaby – with serene brown eyes glancing towards the other person in the room with them; a boy, eyes the color of the greenest fields and hair the shade of tea leaves sat up against the wall. On either side of him was curled a pokemon, more than one actually, and some of which had visible bruises on them.

Still, the boy smiled, continuing to whistle softly while petting the hurt pokemon next to him.

One of the more timid ones – a Growlithe with a blackened eye, and visible rib cage – shyly crept closer, feeling more at ease from the small child's welcoming, warm gaze. He licked the boy's cheek causing him to giggle before settling himself against his side.

"I'm sorry." The boy whispered, running gentle fingers through the poor pokemon's mane. " For what you must have gone through, I promise to get stronger, so that way something like this," the pokemon all looked at him with innocent eyes "won't ever happen to any of you again. I swear it."

From where she sat on the corner of the bed, the one with brown eyes and blonde hair cleared her throat calling for their attention. Not wanting to shout as some of the pokemon didn't like it, and tended to get scared rather easily.

"N," She began in the softest voice possible "don't you and your friends wish to hear the rest of the story? It is your favorite after all."

" _Daruu_! _Darumaka_?"

A small little pokemon, red in color and with an orange face and yellow curly eyebrow, cried out happily. It's three digit paws pressing on N' s cheek in a show of excitement. N didn't mind, so long as his friends felt safe and happy.

"Am I like Sir Aaron?" N repeated curiously, his cheeks flushing the barest shade of pink at such a comparison. "W-well I don't think I'd go that far. He was a real hero after all, thanks to him thousands of pokemon were spared from pointless bloodshed, he even went so far as sacrificing himself for his own partners." N surmised, smiling warmly. "If more people were like him though, then I guess it would certainly be a better thing overall right?"

All the pokemon voiced their agreement.

Their momentary peace was broken by a sudden knock at the door. Swinging open a moment later to reveal a girl with soft pink carnation hair and darker shaded pink eyes; Anthea, N and Concordia's sister. "Concordia, sister, Ghetsis wishes to speak with us for a moment." She said, addressing the blonde while sparring N an apologetic look.

Concordia seemed to pause for a moment glancing down towards the book in her lap and the disappointed faces of the pokemon, when N spoke up. "No need to worry. You should go see what father wants. I can take over reading." N announced, earning a cheer from the surrounding pokemon.

His sister smiled, nodding and rising from her spot on the bed. She carefully handed him the weathered book, before turning to take her leave. The two girls waving goodbye to N for now.

And just like that, N was alone again. Only his pokemon friends by his side, though a part of him thought it better that way.

' _Unlike most people nowadays_ , _at least pokemon don't lie_.' N thought opening the book once more to where his sister left off. One by one, his pokemon friends surrounded him again, boxing him in on all sides. One of the bolder ones piping up suddenly.

" _N_ , _can you_... _whistle again_? _The lullaby I mean_." Asked a small little black and red pokemon, Zorua.

N blinked, offering a tender smile before nodding. "Sure. Of course."

Drawing in a deep breath, the green-haired boy began to whistle a soft, melodious tune. It seemed to soothe the surrounding pokemon greatly, allowing them to relax against him more. Listening while he recited soft, meaningful words that resonated in the empty room.

* * *

 **Please review.  
**

 **Question:** _Who do you think should be the first legendary Ashlyn encounters?_


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